Nature Deficit Disorder
Updated: Jun 18, 2021
Numerous studies have shown that spending time in nature can lead to mental and physical health benefits.
In a randomized control trial, N๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ A๐ฑ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ R๐ฒ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (๐ก๐๐ฅ) ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ณ๐๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐-๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ (๐ฃ๐ง๐ฆ๐)**
Unfortunately, with declining green spaces in our cities and increasing times spent in front of screens, our interaction with our natural environment is slowly reaching an all-time low.
Nature deficit disorder or NDD, a condition that doesnโt have an ICD-10 code yet, but it is certainly one that requires a lot of emphasis these days.
So moral of the story, get outdoors!
Whether it is going for a hike or relaxing on a beach, prescribe yourself some time with nature!
Until next time,
Shiven Chaudhry, MD ๐งโโ๏ธ๐จ๐ฝโโ๏ธ
**Gelkopf, M., Hasson-Ohayon, I., Bikman, M., & Kravetz, S. (2013). Nature adventure rehabilitation for combat-related posttraumatic chronic stress disorder: A randomized control trial. Psychiatry research, 209(3), 485-493.